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Western Sydney Wanderers prepare to face Guangzhou Evergrande in Asian Champions League after FFA Cup shock

Updated
Mon Aug 18 18:38:14 EST 2014

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The Wanderers came up short against Adelaide City in the FFA Cup and will need to up their game against Guangzhou.

Getty Images: Morne de Klerk

They have just suffered a shock loss to a semi-professional side and now the Western Sydney Wanderers are preparing to face a cashed-up Asian juggernaut boasting a World Cup-winning coach.

The Wanderers go into the first leg of their Asian Champions League (ACL) quarter-final against title holders Guangzhou Evergrande on Wednesday fresh off a 1-0 loss to state league side Adelaide City in the FFA Cup last week.

But while the Wanderers are considered giants by Adelaide City, they will appear dwarfed by one of Asia's most powerful clubs and their endless stream of money.

Marcello Lippi, who guided Italy to their 2006 World Cup triumph, has a squad worth several million dollars stacked with former and current internationals.

Last month he brought in one of the players form his victorious '06 Italy side, Alberto Gilardino for over $7 million, having also signed Alessandro Diamanti in February for almost $10 million.

Mind-boggling figures when you consider the A-League salary cap is just $2.55 million for the entire squad.

Wanderers striker Brendon Santalab knows better than most just how big Chinese Super League outfit Evergrande are having played in China for three years.

"They are absolutely massive. They're very wealthy and have players on ridiculous amounts of money," Santalab said on Monday.

"They wanted to put themselves on the world football map and they've done that.

"So for us this is just a great opportunity to come up against a giant like this."

While Evergrande will be heading to Parramatta Stadium looking to keep their ACL defence on track the Wanderers will be eying redemption after falling to minnows Adelaide City.

But far from rattling their confidence Santalab insists the defeat will make them more resolute to prove themselves.

"It hasn't really shattered the confidence," he said.

"This will be a test of our character. When you lose to a semi-professional side it's not nice but we just have to cop it on the chin and we have to make up for it and bounce back in the ACL."

Having played their last ACL fixture in May the Wanderers have since lost several of the stars that got them to the quarters with the likes of Shinji Ono, Youssouf Hersi, Aaron Mooy and Jerome Polenz having left the club.

They have acquired the likes of Dutch import Romeo Castelen, Brazilian Vitor Saba and Australian youngsters Brendan Hamill and Dean Bouzanis.

All but Castelen will be eligible to play on Wednesday and Santalab says while there is no replacing the past stars, the new recruits will be eager to prove their worth.

"Obviously the players we lost were fantastic for the club but now it's up to those new players to step in and show what they've got," he said.

"It's hard to compare these boys with the last but they've blended in well and I'm excited to see them play."